16
Wednesday, May 9, 1973
MEASURES TO REDUCE ACCIDENTS ON TRAINS
The overcrowding of trains during holidays and at peak hours on
weekdays is partly due to the shortage of rolling stock and the limited
capacity of the single track line.
Because of this some passengers had to ride on steps and on other
dangerous parts of carriages.
This was stated by the Acting Financial Secretary, the Hon. D.J.C.
Jones, in reply to a question by the Hon. Wilson Wang who had asked what the
government was doing to prevent fatal accidents as the result of passengers falling
off crowded trains.
"Additional passenger carriages have been ordered and plans are
in hand to double track the line from Hung Hom to Shatin. A further extension
of the double line to Tai Po Morket is also under consi...aration," Mr. Jones
said.
Apart from the long-term remedies to the situation, he also listed
some short-term restrictive measures to be taken at times when trains were
overcrowded.
These measures included the discontinuation of the issue of return
tickets; the restricted sale of single tickets and frequent warnings to
passengers against riding on carriage platforms and on steps.
Consideration is also being given to the erection of fences or other
barriers to prevent access to platforms, other than through controlled entrances
or via the railway track, and railway personnel will be stationed by the track
to prevent unauthorised entry.
/Part-time